Blank Spaces (A Maze Runner fanfic)

Chapter 15 (Alice's POV)

I'm letting Chuck braid small flowers into my short hair when Lizzy comes to get me.

"Hey," she says smiling,"hi Chuck," she says. He nods, concentrating on the braiding thin stem perfectly with my hair.

"Hi," I say,"how was The Gathering?"

"That's actually what I came here to talk about, they need you there." I'm surprised by this. I stand, ruffling Chuck's hair.

"Thanks bud," I say and begin to walk with my sister. "Why do they need me?"

"Newt nominated you as a Runner," she says, smirking. I'm surprised. I wanted to be a Runner, and was working up the courage to ask Newt, but I was afraid he would refuse. I guess he knows I can take care of myself.

"Really?" I ask. Lizzy nods. Walking toward the Homestead, she tells me what all happened. We soon enter the room where the Gathering is being held. Everyone looks over at us.

"Great timing," Newt says with a smile,"just voted for your punishment, Lizzy. One night in the Slammer and you'll be a Runner starting tomorrow." My sister smiles and I glance at Minho, who's also grinning.

"What about Alice?" she says.

"We were just getting to that," Newt responds,"we don't need you or Tommy any more so get out." I chuckle and sit where Lizzy had been sitting. Thomas stands, squeezes my shoulder, and trails my sister out of the room. "Ok," Newt speaks up again once Lizzy and Thomas are out of the room. "So, Alice, don't say a buggin' word unless I tell ya you can. Now, I gladly nominated you as a Runner, do you accept?" he asks.

"Yes," I say. They begin going around the table, giving opinions of whether or not I should be given the job. Minho, to my surprise, agrees.

"I saw her the day Gally attacked her sister," he says,"Im sure she would've beat the livin' klunk outta that shuck-face if she hadn't been pulled off. What I'm worried about is her running. Lizzy's fast, I know, but I don't know about her." Newt raises his hand, interjecting.

"If she senses immediate danger, she can run pretty fast," he says. Minho nods thoughtfully.

"Then I'm all for it," he says.

At the end of The Gathering we come up with most of The Keeper's voting that I'm made a Runner. We exit the Homestead and Newt limps up beside me and takes my hand. "You're welcome," he says sarcastically.

"Thanks," I say back, the word dripping with sarcasm. He chuckles, turning me toward him.

"Come 'ere," he say and kisses me passionately. I let my hands rest on his forearms while he lays his hands on my waist. He pulls away. "Just promise me you'll be careful," he says, his eyes at rimmed with tears.

"Don't cry," I say. I press my lips against his again. "Don't cry," I whisper to him.

We arrive at Frypan's kitchen with Minho and grab our food, heading toward the normal table we sit at. I sit next to Thomas, across from Lizzy. Newt sits next to me and Minho plops next to Lizzy. Chuck sits on the other side of Thomas. We talk about The Gathering while Chuck sits in silence, eating his food. As soon as we finish the doors begin to close and some Gladers escort Lizzy to the Slammer. I follow Newt back to his hut and we climb under the covers. "I'm beginning to second guess my decision about nominating you," he whispers to me. I sit up and so does he. We stare at each other.

"Why?" I ask.

"I can't bare to lose you, love," he says, sorrow in his eyes.

"I can handle myself out there. You know that," I say. He nods.

"It's just..." he sighs. "I was a Runner for a while." I'm surprised by this.

"Why are you on a different job then?" I ask softly.

"I got so depressed with the fact we hadn't found a way out, I climbed up the vines and I jumped off. I tried to kill myself because of that bloody Maze. I just don't want to see the sa-," I cut him off by swinging my leg over his hips and sitting, straddling his legs. I press my lips to his.

"Don't you ever fucking do that to me," I whisper against his lips.

"Love, I was stressed. I'll be around with you for a long time," he whispers back.

"Promise?" I ask

"Promise," he says. I fall asleep with my head on his chest, listening to his beating heart.

(Quick author's note. You have no idea how much it killed me to write that. I'm literally crying over here. Too many TDC feels)

Newt gently shakes me awake. I look up at him. "Minho and Lizzy are here," he says. I stand and strip off his shirt. Newt steps in front of me. I guess since Minho is right outside. I pull on my shirt from the first couple of days, pull my hair back again, and run out of his hut after he reminds me, again, to be careful. We head to get supplies. We get running shoes first an I jokingly brag how my feet are bigger than Lizzy's. We also get black watches, backpacks, water bottles, and lunch packs. I'm already feeling badass, when Liz points out the brace-like glove things Minho has on.

"Do we get glove-thingies?" she asks, gesturing to them.

"Glove-thingies?" he asks. She nods and laughs a little.

"I don't know what to call them, would you prefer Bob?" she asks. He chuckles and so do I.

"We might have some that would fit you, if you want," he says.

"Me too!" I yell excitedly. Soon we are both fitted with a pair of genuine Bobs. We enter another room and what I'm looking at surprises me. Weapons line the walls. Everything from mace's to machete's are down here.

"Usually we only take a few sharp knives," Minho says, walking over to a wooden trunk. I'm admiring a bow on one of the walls. In about to pick it up when I hear my sister.

"I want THIS," she says. I turn around. She has a heavy looking mid evil battle axe clenched in her hands. I instantly crack up. Minho chuckles.

"Plan on runnin around carrying that?" he asks, raising his eyebrows.

"Well it would fend off the Greivers," Lizzy says, laughing.

"Anyway, pick a few knives," Minho says, opening the trunk,"make sure they're sharp." Lizzy gets first pick.

"I will name this one Kindness," she says holding up a knife. I scowl, I had the same plan.

"That's what I was gonna do," I smile and slap her arm. She grins. I pick up a simple dagger and a knife with a lethal-looking curved blade.

"Too late," she says. I tuck the knives through loops on the part of my backpack that straps around my front and we head out of the Homestead to get breakfast and pack our lunch. We pass a mirror on the way there. I do a double take.

"I look badass," Lizzy and I say in sync. I'm in shock for a second. It's as if I could hear her voice in my head. I just brush it off, I'll think about it later.

After eating and packing food, we head to the Map room. Minho shows us the gist of it all and tells us what we'll do when we get back. We head out the Western door and into what Minho says is Section 8. We travel quickly through the long stone passageways, cutting vines to keep track of where we've been. We turn left, then right, then left again, another left. I keep up with the other's, to my surprise. I just don't know what I'll do if a Griever attacks. Probably shouldn't have thought that.